Nevada
Nevada third for federal oil potential in new study, but industry growth still unlikely
The federal government raised its estimate this week for how much oil and gas could be extracted from public lands in Nevada, placing the state third for oil potential.
Nevada holds 1.4 billion barrels of “undiscovered” oil beneath its public lands – only falling behind Alaska and New Mexico – and 1.2 billion cubic feet of gas, according to the newly compiled figures released by the U.S. Geological Survey last week.
“We think there’s resource potential there, and it just so happens there’s a lot of federal land,” said Chris Schenk, the lead author of the report.
The estimates are of “technically recoverable oil and gas resources” — many of which may not be economically viable to extract — that could be retrieved with current technologies. It’s the first time the agency has tallied the amount of oil and gas under national parks, wilderness areas and other public lands nationwide since 1998, according to Nevada Current.
Technology has improved significantly since then, increasing the estimated resources that could potentially be extracted from public lands, according to the report.
The analysis was prepared in response to a directive by the Trump administration to “unleash” domestic energy supplies. In February, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed his agencies to identify energy and critical minerals on public lands.
“American Energy Dominance is more important than ever, and this report underscores the critical role science plays in informing our energy future,” Burgum said in a press release announcing the study.
The report also comes as Republicans in Congress try to push a proposal that would allow the federal government to sell off several million acres of public land in Nevada, Utah and other Western states.
Nationally, the analysis estimated 29.4 billion barrels of oil and 391.6 trillion cubic feet of gas lie below all federal lands – enough oil to meet the county’s needs for four years and a dozen years in the case of natural gas.
The last federal analysis of undiscovered oil and gas resources on public lands in 1998, estimated about 7.8 billion barrels of oil and 201 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Schenk, the lead author of the report, said the analysis uses decades of federal data to estimate the potential for oil and gas where it hasn’t been discovered yet, but there’s still room for “uncertainty.”
“Whenever you’re exploring for resources, whether it’s minerals or oil and gas, there’s uncertainty before you drill,” Schenk said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, because it’s undiscovered.”
That uncertainty is reflected in the lack of oil and gas leasing in Nevada, despite available data pointing to potential sources in the state.
Nevada lease sales have long drawn little interest from industry. It’s not uncommon for large swaths of nominated land to never get a bid.
For example, the Bureau of Land Management offered five oil and gas parcels in Nevada totaling 6,800 acres this week. None of the parcels received a single bid. Those same parcels also failed to attract any industry interest in 2023 and 2024.
“We recognize that interest in Nevada is lower than other states in the West where development is more economical, such as New Mexico and Wyoming. The scale of this auction, for instance, was small relative to others,” said Aaron Johnson, the vice president of public and legislative affairs for the Western Energy Alliance trade group.
When land does get leased for oil and gas development, it underperforms in auction. From 2015 to 2024, the average bid per acre in Nevada was just $4.10—compared to $4,900 per acre in New Mexico.
Still, the Trump administration has pushed to lease more of Nevada’s public lands including 264,000 acres of public land in Elko County’s Ruby Mountains, a popular hunting and outdoor recreation site in Nevada.
Drilling opponents remain skeptical that there’s much oil and gas in Nevada or that extracting it would make economic sense any time soon. They think the development push is rooted in speculation.
“We’ve been leasing these low potential lands since the 1950s,” said Russell Kuhlman, the executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “We have yet to find anything that would get the oil and gas industry excited.”
Kuhlman said speculative oil and gas leasing in Nevada removes land that would be better suited for the recreation economy, wildlife conservation, or renewable energy development in the state.
Over 90 percent of public lands managed by the Interior Department in Nevada are available to be leased for oil and gas drilling. Once leased, public lands are locked up from being managed for multiple uses such as outdoor recreation and conservation for the life of the lease, which could be 10, 20 or even 30 years.
“That’s really where the issue is, once land is identified as an oil and gas lease, it’s essentially put in that folder and forgotten about by the Bureau of Land Management,” Kuhlman said.
Here’s to more resources for Nevada entrepreneurs.
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First team
P: Hudson Ciulla, Bishop Gorman – The senior went 7-0 with a 2.61 ERA, 90 strikeouts in 59 innings and two saves. He is committed to Gonzaga.
P: Liam Radke, Faith Lutheran – The junior was the 5A pitcher of the year going 6-3 with a 2.11 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 56⅓ innings. He is committed to TCU.
P: Jack Stoner, Bishop Gorman – The senior went 7-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 54⅓ innings. He is committed to East Carolina.
P: Dominic Tiberi, Centennial – The senior went 7-2 with a 2.03 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 65⅔ innings pitched. He is committed to Cochise College (Arizona).
P: Johnny Villarreal, Basic – The senior went 6-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 42⅓ innings pitched. He is committed to St. Mary’s (California).
C: Gavin Gottschall, Foothill – The junior hit .396 with 30 hits and 17 RBIs.
C: T.J. Otis, Centennial – The sophomore hit .404 with 42 hits and 36 RBIs.
IF: Brody Griffith, Desert Oasis – The senior hit .468 with five home runs, 44 hits and 23 RBIs. He is committed to Air Force.
IF: Hogan Hawkins, Silverado – The senior hit .438 with 42 hits and 34 RBIs, and went 5-2 on the mound with a 0.56 ERA and 53 strikeouts. He is committed to BYU.
IF: Kingston Kela, Faith Lutheran – The senior hit .462 with six home runs, 42 hits and 34 RBIs. He is committed to TCU.
IF: Matthew Kelley, Basic – The senior hit .463 with four home runs, 28 hits and 26 RBIs. He is committed to Texas A&M.
IF: Devin Martin, Arbor View — The senior was a first-team 5A Southern Nevada selection by the coaches to help Arbor View finish 30-8. He is committed to CSN.
IF: Justin Rodrigues, Bishop Gorman – The junior hit .430 with eight home runs, 52 hits and 42 RBIs for the 5A state champion.
IF: Rookie Shepard, Faith Lutheran – The senior led 5A with a .511 batting average, with 47 hits and 31 RBIs. He is committed to Miami (Florida).
OF: Stone Amsden, Palo Verde – The junior was fourth in 5A with a .477 batting average, with 42 hits and 19 RBIs.
OF: Colton Christman, Arbor View – The senior was a first-team 5A Southern Nevada selection by the coaches to help Arbor View finish 30-8. He is committed to LSU.
OF: Andruw Giles, Basic – The senior was the 5A player of the year and hit .494 with five home runs, 38 hits and 23 RBIs. He is committed to Oregon.
OF: DaMari Hall, Bishop Gorman – The senior hit .442 with five home runs, 42 hits and 43 RBIs. He is committed to play college football at Washington State.
OF: Jet McNelis, Green Valley – The senior hit .391 with four home runs, 36 hits and 25 RBIs, and as a pitcher went 4-1 in 43⅓ innings and 45 strikeouts. He is committed to CSN.
OF: Jake Turner, Centennial – The junior hit .392 with 10 home runs, 38 hits and 38 RBIs, and was 5-0 with a 2.02 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched. He is committed to TCU.
UTL: Giovanni Guariglia, Silverado – The senior was the MaxPreps state player of the year with a state-high 18 home runs while batting .323 with 44 RBIs and went 6-1 on the mound with a 1.38 ERA and 74 strikeouts. He is committed to TCU.
UTL: Lucas Jaggers, SECTA – The senior hit . 398 with five home runs, 35 hits and 27 RBIs for the 4A state champion. He is committed to Eastern Arizona College.
UTL: Austin Rodriguez, Liberty – The sophomore hit .467 with 42 hits and 22 RBIs.
UTL: Alex Scaggs, Arbor View – The junior was a first-team 5A Southern Nevada selection by the coaches to help Arbor View finish 30-8. He is committed to Cal State Bakersfield.
Coach of the year
Bill Stuber, SECTA – Guided the Roadrunners to the Class 4A state championship, the program’s first baseball state title in his 21st year leading the program.
Second team
P: Briggs Barlow, SETCA – The senior went 6-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 55 strikeouts, and batted.310 with 27 hits and 22 RBIs.
P: Lincoln Evans, Basic – The senior was 6-2 with a 2.03 ERA and 40 strikeouts. He is committed to CSN.
P: Shawn Mack, Liberty – The senior was a second-team 5A All-Southern Nevada pitcher by the coaches, going 5-3 with a 5.38 ERA and 61 strikeouts.
P: Connor McDonald, Palo Verde – The sophomore went 7-1 with a 2.92 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 52.2 innings pitched.
P: Crue Smith, Desert Oasis – The senior went 5-2 with a 1.75 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 40 innings.
C: Spencer Aten, Boulder City – The junior hit .535 with seven home runs, 61 hits and 56 RBIs.
C: Tommy McDonald, Sierra Vista – The senior was a second-team 5A All-Southern Nevada catcher by the coaches, batting .373 with 15 RBIs.
IF: Michael Alvarado, Sierra Vista – The senior hit .473 with 44 hits and 15 RBIs.
IF: Kyle Johnson, Palo Verde – The senior hit .368 with five home runs, 32 hits and 24 RBIs.
IF: Noah Knudson, Palo Verde – The sophomore hit .388 with 40 hits and 26 RBIs.
IF: Connor Long, Bishop Gorman – The junior hit .382 with four home runs, 42 hits and 31 RBIs. He is committed to Oregon.
IF: Joseph Lusch, Green Valley – The senior hit .366 with six home runs, 30 hits and 29 RBIs, and went 4-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 10 appearances on the mound.
IF: Troy Southisene, Basic – The senior hit .349 with 30 hits and 20 RBIs. He is committed to Oregon State.
IF: Chase Wilk, Bishop Gorman – The senior batted .313 with five home runs, 31 hits and 31 RBIs. He is committed to Minnesota.
OF: Ethan Gordon, Faith Lutheran – The junior hit .425 with 31 hits and 25 runs scored.
OF: Logan Grubbs, Bishop Gorman – The junior hit .343 with 37 hits and 39 RBIs.
OF: Keimani Johnson, Palo Verde – The senior hit .360 with 40 hits and 29 RBIs.
OF: Tyson Lake, Legacy – The senior hit .375 with 36 hits and 13 RBIs.
OF: Karsen Smaka, Palo Verde – The junior hit .357 with four home runs, 41 hits and 33 RBIs.
UTL: Tucker Christman, Arbor View – The freshman was a second-team 5A All-Southern Nevada selection by the coaches who helped the Aggies finish 30-8.
UTL: Nick Collingbourne, SECTA – The senior hit .377 with 23 hits and 16 RBIs for the 4A state champion.
UTL: Macen Collura, Faith Lutheran – The senior hit .385 with four home runs, 37 hits and 22 RBIs.
UTL: Ashton Kidd, Desert Oasis – The senior hit .301 with 23 RBIs and 16 RBIs as a first team 5A designated hitter by the coaches.
UTL: Evan Noble, Shadow Ridge – The senior hit .386 with 39 hits and 34 RBIs. He is committed to San Francisco.
Honorable mention
Steve Alvarado, Foothill
Kane Barber, Centennial
Jaxon Burr, Centennial
Raymundo Chevalier, Cheyenne
Preston Clark, Silverado
Payton Conley-Cimini, Palo Verde
Tate Crine, Boulder City
Ian Denney, Mater East
James Durham, Foothill
David Edwards, SECTA
Olvin Espinoza, Legacy
Aiden Farrell, Durango
Edgar Garcia, Western
Jordan Goodsell, Virgin Valley
Ryland Gregorich, Clark
Lincoln Guillermo, Desert Oasis
Trevor Henson, Centennial
Ajay Hermosura, Bishop Gorman
Chase Hurley, Centennial
Damon Kodesko, Spring Valley
Easton Lake, Legacy
Brayden Leavitt, Shadow Ridge
Lyndon Lee, Basic
Brayden Lenahan, Spring Valley
Quinthus Mason, Foothill
Mickey Martinez, Las Vegas High
Nathan Mayorga, Sierra Vista
Ryder Metz, Coronado
Benson Ornelas, Mater East
Dylan Othick, Faith Lutheran
Dillon Owens, Bonanza
Vincent Perrone, Spring Valley
Caleb Piehler, Foothill
Adrian Ramos, Mater East
Johnny Ramos, Rancho
Adrian Ruiz, Laughlin
Lucas Salas, The Meadows
Carter Sekikawa, SECTA
Matthew Smoot, Coronado
Ryder Schuette, Lake Mead Academy
Aidan Smith, Desert Oasis
Rylan Swanbeck, Clark
Will Teeples, Boulder City
Colin Tocker, Mater East
Tony Whitney, Pahrump Valley
Danny Yeates, Lake Mead Academy
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
First team
P: Makamae Eugenio, Bishop Gorman – The junior had seven wins with a 4.33 ERA and 96 strikeouts and hit .442 with six home runs and 25 RBIs at the plate.
P: Ava Henderson, Arbor View – The junior went 11-5 with a 2.68 ERA and 139 strikeouts, and hit .337 with 29 RBIs. She is committed to Cal Baptist.
P: Ava Koenig, Palo Verde – The senior was the 5A pitcher of the year and went 13-1 with a 0.71 ERA and 103 strikeouts, and hit .554 with five home runs and 29 RBIs. She is committed to Boston University.
P: Madison Pitts, Faith Lutheran – The freshman was the 4A Mountain League pitcher of the year, going 15-0 with a 0.36 ERA and 141 strikeouts for the 4A state champion.
C: Presley Crowder, Liberty – The sophomore hit .418 with 33 hits and 25 RBIs.
C: Chase Magdaleno, Coronado – The senior hit .427 with 35 hits and 23 RBIs.
IF: Kayleen Enriquez, Palo Verde – The senior hit .410 with 34 hits and 16 RBIs. She is committed to UC Riverside.
IF: Summer Gilliam, Coronado – The senior hit .551 with 49 hits and 25 RBIs.
IF: Bailey Goldberg, Coronado – The senior hit .575 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs to be named the 5A MVP. She is committed to Oregon.
IF: Rosie Hensley Mokiao, Shadow Ridge – The sophomore hit .544 with 37 hits and 40 RBIs.
IF: Taylor Johns, Palo Verde – The senior hit .622 with a state-record 21 home runs and 43 RBIs. She is committed to Georgia.
IF: Breanna Nielson, Shadow Ridge – The sophomore hit .562 with 50 hits and 25 RBIs.
IF: Madilyn Lowy, Arbor View – The junior hit .375 with five home runs and 37 RBIs.
IF: Samantha Williams, Palo Verde – The senior hit .419 with four home runs and 26 RBIs.
OF: Lyla Baxter, Green Valley – The senior hit .400 with four home runs, 18 RBIs and 18 hits. She is committed to UC San Diego.
OF: Devaeh Crawford, Shadow Ridge – The freshman hit .457 with five home runs, 37 hits and 35 RBIs.
OF: Alexis Kearnes, Palo Verde – The junior hit .429 with 33 hits and 19 RBIs.
OF: Malaya Tellis, Arbor View – The junior hit .395 with 47 hits and 31 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
OF: Gwen Thewes, Bishop Gorman – The junior hit .500 with five home runs, 18 RBIs and 50 hits.
OF: Peyton Williams, Arbor View – The freshman hit .571 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs.
UTL: Melia Aionaaka, Shadow Ridge – The junior hit .398 with 25 hits, 23 RBIs and went 9-3 on the mound with a 4.18 ERA.
UTL: Abigail Estrada, Centennial – The sophomore hit .461 with 47 hits and 24 RBIs.
UTL: Haley Kearnes, Palo Verde – The senior hit .382 with 29 hits and 17 RBIs, and was 10-0 with a 2.73 ERA on the mound.
UTL: Audrey Melton, Arbor View – The senior hit .449 with 42 RBIs and was 12-2 on the mound with a 1.94 ERA and 49 strikeouts.
Coach of the year
Angel Council, Palo Verde – The first-year coach guided the Panthers to a 24-1 record to win the Class 5A state championship.
Second team
P: Hailey Dixon, Centennial – The senior went 9-5 with a 4.51 ERA in 107 innings pitched.
P: Laila Esparza, SECTA – The sophomore hit .500 with five home runs and 39 RBIs and went 11-2 on the mound with a 2.02 ERA and 87 strikeouts.
P: Jaycie Hayes, Pahrump Valley – The freshman went 21-7, which led the state for wins, with a 1.52 ERA and the most strikeouts in the state with 298, and hit .462 with 54 RBIs.
P: Alissa Perkins, Desert Oasis – The junior had a 1.96 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched, and hit .525 with four home runs and 33 RBIs.
C: Campbell Cole, Centennial – The senior hit .352 with 38 hits and 18 RBIs.
C: Halle Law, Palo Verde – The sophomore hit six home runs and had 21 RBIs as the everyday catcher for the 5A state champion.
IF: Ava Cruz, Palo Verde – The sophomore hit .328 with five home runs, 20 hits and 20 RBIs.
IF: Lilly Easton, Arbor View – The sophomore hit .378 with 45 hits and 22 RBIs.
IF: Abigail Estrada, Centennial – The sophomore hit .461 with 47 hits and 24 RBIs.
IF: EmmaLynn Hussey, Doral Academy – The sophomore hit. 446 with 33 hits and 10 RBIs.
IF: Isabella Lenahan, Spring Valley – The senior hit .662 with eight home runs and 62 RBIs.
IF: Logan Sanford, Liberty — The senior hit .440 with 37 hits and 12 RBIs.
IF: Zoey TarBush, Faith Lutheran – The sophomore hit .556 with 45 hits, five home runs and 33 RBIs, and went 10-1 with a 1.07 ERA on the mound.
OF: Sophie Bendlin, Coronado – The junior hit .452 with 33 hits.
OF: Amelia Carlson, Centennial – The sophomore hit .393 with 33 hits and 21 RBIs
OF: Sophia DeMonbrun, Clark – The senior hit .707 with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs, and recorded 195 strikeouts and nine wins on the mound.
OF: Lauryn Galvin, Green Valley – The senior hit .422 with 19 hits and 10 RBIs.
OF: Elise Hanseen, Centennial – The senior hit .385 with 35 hits and 26 RBIs.
OF: Keileanna Johnson, Palo Verde – The sophomore hit .321 with 17 hits and 12 RBIs and on defense did not have an error.
UTL: Loa Duarte, Shadow Ridge – The freshman hit .444 with 24 hits and 23 RBIs and went 8-2 on the mound.
UTL: Brynndal Gonzales, Faith Lutheran – The sophomore hit .508 with 33 hits and 54 runs scored.
UTL: Francesca Hull, Arbor View – The sophomore hit .359 with 28 hits and 23 RBIs.
UTL: Elena Rodriguez, Legacy – The senior hit .475 with 19 hits and 11 RBIs and was 13-3 with a 3.13 ERA.
UTL: Charli Taylor, Liberty – The freshman hit .427 with eight home runs, 42 hits and 24 RBIs.
Honorable mention
Evaleene Armendariz, Pahrump Valley
Victoria Beebe, Legacy
Ella Bradley, Faith Lutheran
Zoey Brager, Faith Lutheran
Amelia Carlson, Centennial
Shawnee Casorla, Arbor View
Madison Castellon, Legacy
Gabriella Colarco, Cadence
Kalea Copenhefer, Doral Academy
Kamzlee Dalton, Virgin Valley
Evie Davis, Pahranagat Valley
Bella Dimmick, Faith Lutheran
Kaitlyn Dunigan, Desert Oasis
Maliah Harrell, Arbor View
Mia Mor Hernandez, Green Valley
Leah Henderson, Foothill
Julia Leavitt, Virgin Valley
Aliyah Loafea-Carter, Arbor View
Valeria Lopez, Centennial
Dani Luevanos, Liberty
Emiko Kalani, Mojave
Amelia McClerkin, Legacy
Audrie McClerkin, Legacy
Arianni Mollinedo, Coronado
Aspen Middaugh, Pahrump Valley
Ayla Murphy, Bonanza
Sofia Nazario, Legacy
Jasmine Ponce, Cimarron-Memorial
Scotti Powell, Laughlin
Sofia Quigley, Palo Verde
Naima Ralston, SLAM! Nevada
Jasslyn Ramos, Cimarron-Memorial
Natalie Ramos, Basic
Taylor Ramos, Cimarron-Memorial
Payton Rogers, Boulder City
Veyda Simon, Desert Oasis
Gia Salazar, Lake Mead Academy
Davie Slack, Virgin Valley
Portland Stacey, Liberty
Megan Upp, Doral Academy
Camren VanThomme, Foothill
Jaylynn Wymbs, Laughlin
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
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